With their waves swaying in the wind, grasses bring lightness and movement to the garden. There are also grasses for every location. You can find beautiful design ideas for planting with grasses as well as a selection of the most beautiful grasses below.
Which grasses are suitable for garden design?
Various grasses such as bearskin grass, blue fescue, mountain sedge, Japanese sedge, miscanthus, diamond grass, Japanese forest grass, pennisetum grass, mane barley, riding grass, pampas grass, snow marbel, zebra reed and quaking grass are suitable for planting in the garden. They bring lightness and movement to the garden and adapt to different locations.
Grasses in the garden
Grasses are suitable for elegant planting in rock gardens as well as complementing wild flower beds. They can make an impressive impression both as a solitary plant and as companion plants for vigorously flowering perennials. Most ornamental grasses also look great in pots. It is important that you pay attention to their location requirements when selecting your ornamental grasses. We have therefore put together a table for you with the most beautiful grasses, their most important characteristics and their preferred location.
| ornamental grass | Botanical name | Features | Growth height | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearskin Grass | Festuca gautieri | Evergreen | Up to 20cm | Sunny to partially shaded |
| Blue Fescue | Festuca cinerea | Grey-blue stalks, evergreen | 15 to 30cm | Sandy soil, dry, sunny |
| Mountain sedge | Carex montana | Small, green grass | Up to 20cm | Sunny to partially shaded |
| Colorful Japanese sedge | Carex morrowii `Variegata´ | Evergreen | Up to 30cm | Partial shade to shady |
| miscanthus | Miscanthus sinensis | Ears in white, silver or reddish | Depending on variety, up to 4m | Sunny to shady |
| Diamondgrass | Calamagrostis a. v. brachytricha | Very fine flower | Up to 1m | Sunny |
| Japan forest grass | Hakonechloa macra | Broad, green leaves | Up to 50cm | Partial shade |
| Pennisetum grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides | Beautiful ears of corn until winter | Depending on variety, up to 60cm | Sunny |
| Maned barley | Hordeum jubatum | Silvery fronds | 40 to 50cm | Sunny, moderately dry |
| Riding grass | Calamagrostis acutiflora | Straight, firm stalks | Up to 1.5m | Sunny |
| Pampas grass | Cortaderia selloana | Bushy, large fronds | Up to 2, 50m | Sunny, nutrient-rich, water-permeable |
| Snow Marbel | Evergreen, white flowers | Luzula nivea | Up to 40cm | Partial shade to shady |
| Zebra reed `Strictus´ | Miscanthus sinensis` Strictus´ | Striped, broad leaves | Up to 1.5m | Sunny to partially shaded |
| Quickgrass | Briza media | Delicate, heart-shaped ears of corn | Up to 40cm | Sunny |
Grasses in winter
All of the grasses mentioned above are hardy and most of them retain their shape even in winter, so they look pretty and delicate under snow and frost. But that doesn't mean they don't need winter protection. Under no circumstances should you cut back your ornamental grass before winter! The dried roots protect the roots from freezing. Also, cover the area around the grasses with branches and other tree clippings before the first frost to protect the roots from frost. Taller grasses should be tied together.
